GOODNIGHT, SWEET PARTRIDGE
CHAPTER 8
Friday morning could not have gone any faster. While the kids were in school, Shirley, Reuben and Carly began to load the bus for the short drive to Redwood City. Laurie and the three youngest Partridges had left the house early, but Keith's first class wasn't until eleven and he had done his part in the loading so that they could leave right after school. Reuben had wanted them to be there half a day early, to set up and get all of the technical things out of the way so the Family could do a local radio interview before the concert.
As it was, now, it was heading onto three o'clock and Carly, who had found the work hard but exhilarating, took a quick break inside the bus. She literally fell onto the closest seat and put her feet up, resting her back against the windowed wall.
Outside, she saw Shirley exit the house with a clipboard and she watched as the mater of this busy little singing group poored over the papers jammed onto it.
Not long afterwards, Reuben came out of the house, his face bunched in a worried look, which at first, didn't set off any alarms in Carly's mind; the manager was always looking a little worried.
"Shirley," she heard him say, "I just talked with Chief Thompson of the Muncie, Indiana police."
Startled, Carly sat up in the seat, straining to hear.
"Muncie, Indiana?" Shirley looked puzzled.
Reuben nodded. "They finally tracked down our little runaway's parents. They're flying out tomorrow to get her."
Carly suddenly felt sick. She wondered how they found out…not that it mattered. She couldn't go home, now. Not with all that had happened! Her heart pounding, she carefully slid the bus' window open so she could hear them more clearly.
"Oh, I'm so glad. Not that I've not enjoyed her staying here, but she really needs to go home. But, let's not tell her, okay, not yet. I don't want to spoil her little adventure," Shirley said.
Reuben frowned deeper. "You're still not taking her with you to the concert! I think we should turn her over to the police until her parents come for her."
His words frightened Carly and it was all she could do not to just pick up and run right then and there. There was no way she was going to go with the police! She'd heard horror stories about how they treated runaways, and she wasn't going to be their next victim! Besides, Keith loved her. He hadn't said it outright, but he did; she knew it. He told her himself that he didn't want her to go home. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, would he? Oh, where was he, now that she needed him?!
"Oh, Reuben, it won't hurt to let her have one last little fling. She's a sweet girl and the kids love her. She should at least see the show, and then we can let her go."
Reuben sighed. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything. I'll see what time her folks get in to San Pueblo and we'll work around that. Do you want to tell Keith, or should we wait and tell them both at the same time?"
"I think we should tell Keith and HE can tell Carly. It might be easier to hear, coming from him. She really has a crush on him," Shirley smiled.
'Love, Mrs. Partridge. Not crush; full-fledged love,' Carly thought, tears streaming down her face.
Now, they were coming onto the bus and Carly slid down in the seat, pretending to be asleep.
Shirley came up the aisle first, smiling behind her at Reuben when she saw what she thought was Carly's sleeping form.
"Looks like we tired her out. Poor thing; she looks uncomfortable." Shirley reached down, touching Carly's shoulder. "Carly, honey, come on, wake up."
Stirring, Carly looked as sleepy as she could.
"Hmmm?" she murmured, sitting up and blinking; rubbing her eyes.
"The kids will be home and we'll be leaving soon. Have you packed your things, yet?"
"Oh, no, I haven't. I don't have a suitcase. I suppose I could use a trash bag." Carly stretched.
"Nonsense. Laurie has an extra case. It's in her room in the closet. Why don't you go and get it while Reuben and I go over our check list,' Shirley smiled sweetly down at her.
"Okay; you're sure Laurie won't mind…"
"I'm positive. It's up on her closet shelf; a pink and white one. You can't miss it."
Carly pushed herself up. "Thank you, Mrs. Partridge." She moved past them, flashing a phony smile at Reuben. Send ME home, will you, Mr. Flashy Manager, she thought as she went to the front of the bus. 'Carly Stratton isn't going anywhere without a fight!'
Tearing open the kitchen drawer, Carly pawed through the contents until she found exactly what she was looking for. It was a butcher knife; with a six-inch blade. She stared long and hard at it, and upon hearing the cuckoo clock in the living room strike three, Carly quickly slammed the drawer shut, the knife still shining in her hand. She hurried for the staircase, her heart racing as she went into Laurie and Tracy's room.
She opened the closet door and saw the small case sitting on the shelf. She could barely reach it, but managed after a moment to pull it down. Flipping the top, she carefully slipped the knife in the gathered pocket on the back of the lid, then snapped the case shut.
As she turned to leave, she was startled to see Danny standing in the doorway. She stifled a scream.
"What are you doing in here?" he frowned.
Clutching the case by the handle, Carly pressed her hand into her chest. "Oh, Danny, you scared me!"
He stood his ground, his freckled face serious. "What are you doing in here?" he repeated.
Carly held up the case. "Your mom said I could borrow this for the night."
He remained skeptical. "Uh huh," he said.
"She did; not five minutes ago." Carly assured him. "You can ask her yourself."
"I will."
Carly sagged. "Danny, why don't you like me?"
He shrugged. "I never said I didn't like you."
"You didn't have to. I can see how you act every time we meet. Especially when I'm with Keith."
He looked away.
She smiled softly. "If you're worried about me and Keith, don't. I know I'm a little young for him. But I do love him, Danny. I love him more than anything in the world."
He looked at her almost stupidly. "How can you love him? You don't even know him. He's just a picture in a magazine to you. He's MY brother."
"I know, but I've come to know him better these past few days."
"Yeah, after you got him in all sorts of trouble. He was really upset with you, you know that? He couldn't figure out why a total stranger would do this over someone like him. He went crazy, trying to figure all this out." Danny tried to keep a steady voice, but it was getting more and more difficult.
Carly nodded sadly. "He told me."
"Did he tell you he was thinking of folding the group, huh, did he tell you that?" Danny's voice cracked as it got louder.
She shook her head as Laurie stepped in. "Woah, what's all this shouting?" She had her purse slung over one shoulder, but no schoolbooks in hand.
"Nothing," Danny mumbled. He turned to leave, muttering some more. "Just…go back to Indiana where you belong."
Carly gaped. How did Danny know? She glared after him, realizing that either his mother had gotten to him first, or he'd squealed on her. She was willing to bet it was the latter. The question was, how did he find out?
He moved off and Laurie shook her head. "Just ignore him, like usual." She smiled, "Oh, good, I see you found the case."
"Yes…you're sure you don't mind me using it?"
"Nope. You can keep it if you want to. You'll need it for when you go home, anyway."
Carly eyed Laurie with suspicion. She knew, too?
Seeing Carly's reaction, Laurie put her hand on her shoulder. "You know, wherever and whenever that is."
The older girl's smile eased the tension. Laurie didn't know. But Danny did. He had to have told on her.
"Are you excited for the show?" Laurie tossed her purse on the dresser next to the bed. "Have you seen us perform before?"
"Twice, back in…back home. I had to sneak away the first time. My mom didn't want me going alone, but I didn't have any friends to go with me, so I went anyway." Carly smiled. "It was the best thing I ever did; worth every punishment they gave me when I got home."
"Don't you miss home, Carly? Your mom, your dad? I can just imagine they're in hysterics wondering where you are by now." Laurie sat on the bed, looking up at her, her blue eyes piercing Carly's brown ones.
Carly's gaze moved to the floor. "They probably are, but…I like it here with you and your family. I might call my folks when we get to Redwood City, just to let them know I'm okay."
Laurie grinned, nodding. "I think that would be a terrific idea. You could call them from here, too, before we leave, you know."
"No, that's okay." Not surprisingly, Carly waved her off. She looked at the clock on the dresser. "I think your mom said we were leaving at 3:30; it's almost that now."
Laurie, too, looked at the clock. "You're right. We'll probably have to wait a bit for Keith. I saw him in the auto shop class; grease up to his elbows. He'll want to take a shower and clean up. He's so meticulous about how he looks. He drives me crazy!"
Carly laughed. 'Me, too,' she thought, 'but in an entirely different way...'
continued....
CHAPTER 8
Friday morning could not have gone any faster. While the kids were in school, Shirley, Reuben and Carly began to load the bus for the short drive to Redwood City. Laurie and the three youngest Partridges had left the house early, but Keith's first class wasn't until eleven and he had done his part in the loading so that they could leave right after school. Reuben had wanted them to be there half a day early, to set up and get all of the technical things out of the way so the Family could do a local radio interview before the concert.
As it was, now, it was heading onto three o'clock and Carly, who had found the work hard but exhilarating, took a quick break inside the bus. She literally fell onto the closest seat and put her feet up, resting her back against the windowed wall.
Outside, she saw Shirley exit the house with a clipboard and she watched as the mater of this busy little singing group poored over the papers jammed onto it.
Not long afterwards, Reuben came out of the house, his face bunched in a worried look, which at first, didn't set off any alarms in Carly's mind; the manager was always looking a little worried.
"Shirley," she heard him say, "I just talked with Chief Thompson of the Muncie, Indiana police."
Startled, Carly sat up in the seat, straining to hear.
"Muncie, Indiana?" Shirley looked puzzled.
Reuben nodded. "They finally tracked down our little runaway's parents. They're flying out tomorrow to get her."
Carly suddenly felt sick. She wondered how they found out…not that it mattered. She couldn't go home, now. Not with all that had happened! Her heart pounding, she carefully slid the bus' window open so she could hear them more clearly.
"Oh, I'm so glad. Not that I've not enjoyed her staying here, but she really needs to go home. But, let's not tell her, okay, not yet. I don't want to spoil her little adventure," Shirley said.
Reuben frowned deeper. "You're still not taking her with you to the concert! I think we should turn her over to the police until her parents come for her."
His words frightened Carly and it was all she could do not to just pick up and run right then and there. There was no way she was going to go with the police! She'd heard horror stories about how they treated runaways, and she wasn't going to be their next victim! Besides, Keith loved her. He hadn't said it outright, but he did; she knew it. He told her himself that he didn't want her to go home. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, would he? Oh, where was he, now that she needed him?!
"Oh, Reuben, it won't hurt to let her have one last little fling. She's a sweet girl and the kids love her. She should at least see the show, and then we can let her go."
Reuben sighed. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything. I'll see what time her folks get in to San Pueblo and we'll work around that. Do you want to tell Keith, or should we wait and tell them both at the same time?"
"I think we should tell Keith and HE can tell Carly. It might be easier to hear, coming from him. She really has a crush on him," Shirley smiled.
'Love, Mrs. Partridge. Not crush; full-fledged love,' Carly thought, tears streaming down her face.
Now, they were coming onto the bus and Carly slid down in the seat, pretending to be asleep.
Shirley came up the aisle first, smiling behind her at Reuben when she saw what she thought was Carly's sleeping form.
"Looks like we tired her out. Poor thing; she looks uncomfortable." Shirley reached down, touching Carly's shoulder. "Carly, honey, come on, wake up."
Stirring, Carly looked as sleepy as she could.
"Hmmm?" she murmured, sitting up and blinking; rubbing her eyes.
"The kids will be home and we'll be leaving soon. Have you packed your things, yet?"
"Oh, no, I haven't. I don't have a suitcase. I suppose I could use a trash bag." Carly stretched.
"Nonsense. Laurie has an extra case. It's in her room in the closet. Why don't you go and get it while Reuben and I go over our check list,' Shirley smiled sweetly down at her.
"Okay; you're sure Laurie won't mind…"
"I'm positive. It's up on her closet shelf; a pink and white one. You can't miss it."
Carly pushed herself up. "Thank you, Mrs. Partridge." She moved past them, flashing a phony smile at Reuben. Send ME home, will you, Mr. Flashy Manager, she thought as she went to the front of the bus. 'Carly Stratton isn't going anywhere without a fight!'
Tearing open the kitchen drawer, Carly pawed through the contents until she found exactly what she was looking for. It was a butcher knife; with a six-inch blade. She stared long and hard at it, and upon hearing the cuckoo clock in the living room strike three, Carly quickly slammed the drawer shut, the knife still shining in her hand. She hurried for the staircase, her heart racing as she went into Laurie and Tracy's room.
She opened the closet door and saw the small case sitting on the shelf. She could barely reach it, but managed after a moment to pull it down. Flipping the top, she carefully slipped the knife in the gathered pocket on the back of the lid, then snapped the case shut.
As she turned to leave, she was startled to see Danny standing in the doorway. She stifled a scream.
"What are you doing in here?" he frowned.
Clutching the case by the handle, Carly pressed her hand into her chest. "Oh, Danny, you scared me!"
He stood his ground, his freckled face serious. "What are you doing in here?" he repeated.
Carly held up the case. "Your mom said I could borrow this for the night."
He remained skeptical. "Uh huh," he said.
"She did; not five minutes ago." Carly assured him. "You can ask her yourself."
"I will."
Carly sagged. "Danny, why don't you like me?"
He shrugged. "I never said I didn't like you."
"You didn't have to. I can see how you act every time we meet. Especially when I'm with Keith."
He looked away.
She smiled softly. "If you're worried about me and Keith, don't. I know I'm a little young for him. But I do love him, Danny. I love him more than anything in the world."
He looked at her almost stupidly. "How can you love him? You don't even know him. He's just a picture in a magazine to you. He's MY brother."
"I know, but I've come to know him better these past few days."
"Yeah, after you got him in all sorts of trouble. He was really upset with you, you know that? He couldn't figure out why a total stranger would do this over someone like him. He went crazy, trying to figure all this out." Danny tried to keep a steady voice, but it was getting more and more difficult.
Carly nodded sadly. "He told me."
"Did he tell you he was thinking of folding the group, huh, did he tell you that?" Danny's voice cracked as it got louder.
She shook her head as Laurie stepped in. "Woah, what's all this shouting?" She had her purse slung over one shoulder, but no schoolbooks in hand.
"Nothing," Danny mumbled. He turned to leave, muttering some more. "Just…go back to Indiana where you belong."
Carly gaped. How did Danny know? She glared after him, realizing that either his mother had gotten to him first, or he'd squealed on her. She was willing to bet it was the latter. The question was, how did he find out?
He moved off and Laurie shook her head. "Just ignore him, like usual." She smiled, "Oh, good, I see you found the case."
"Yes…you're sure you don't mind me using it?"
"Nope. You can keep it if you want to. You'll need it for when you go home, anyway."
Carly eyed Laurie with suspicion. She knew, too?
Seeing Carly's reaction, Laurie put her hand on her shoulder. "You know, wherever and whenever that is."
The older girl's smile eased the tension. Laurie didn't know. But Danny did. He had to have told on her.
"Are you excited for the show?" Laurie tossed her purse on the dresser next to the bed. "Have you seen us perform before?"
"Twice, back in…back home. I had to sneak away the first time. My mom didn't want me going alone, but I didn't have any friends to go with me, so I went anyway." Carly smiled. "It was the best thing I ever did; worth every punishment they gave me when I got home."
"Don't you miss home, Carly? Your mom, your dad? I can just imagine they're in hysterics wondering where you are by now." Laurie sat on the bed, looking up at her, her blue eyes piercing Carly's brown ones.
Carly's gaze moved to the floor. "They probably are, but…I like it here with you and your family. I might call my folks when we get to Redwood City, just to let them know I'm okay."
Laurie grinned, nodding. "I think that would be a terrific idea. You could call them from here, too, before we leave, you know."
"No, that's okay." Not surprisingly, Carly waved her off. She looked at the clock on the dresser. "I think your mom said we were leaving at 3:30; it's almost that now."
Laurie, too, looked at the clock. "You're right. We'll probably have to wait a bit for Keith. I saw him in the auto shop class; grease up to his elbows. He'll want to take a shower and clean up. He's so meticulous about how he looks. He drives me crazy!"
Carly laughed. 'Me, too,' she thought, 'but in an entirely different way...'
continued....